


Falling Fast Asleep at an Awkward Angle

by xxtempestaxx



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Fluff, M/M, au where they don't know each other, commuter train au, takao siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-26
Updated: 2015-01-26
Packaged: 2018-03-09 02:57:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3233693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxtempestaxx/pseuds/xxtempestaxx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Midorima's train journey home from school is painfully long. But, watching a certain pair of lively siblings who take the same train as him, makes it slightly more bearable. Not that he has grown fond of them or anything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Falling Fast Asleep at an Awkward Angle

**Author's Note:**

> To anyone who notices the change in the number of words, I haven't really added anything nor changed anything important, just corrected a whole bunch of mistakes. There were so many mistakes I can't believe I missed! Really, just what kind of poor editing did I put this story through! Well, it was probably 'cause I put the story through the correction process to soon after writing it.

Midorima was quite satisfied with his high-school life so far. He couldn’t have chosen a better school. It was academically known to be strong, had good teachers and a strong and hard working basketball team. He himself also made sure to take full advantage of the opportunity he was given by being admitted there. He had been keeping up with all his class work in addition to doing some extra studying. He always made sure to stay after his regular basketball training to get in a few more hours of extra practice. He also always made sure to carry his lucky item of the day. And he was well rewarded for all his efforts, both in his studies as well as in his club activities.

           

If there was one thing he was not all too happy about, it was the long commute to school. After a long day of classes, club activities and extra practice, the hour and half journey back home was frustratingly tedious. Still, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. In fact, recently, he didn’t even seem to mind it all that much.

 

He had taken to pass the long journey on the train, watching this brother-sister pair. At times, they were a bit too loud. But, the brother was always quick to apologize and would quickly proceed to bring himself and his little sister to quiet down, whenever they received a few angry glares from other passengers. Normally, Midorima would have thought that he would get annoyed too when they were being loud, especially with how tired he was from his long day of school. However, instead, he found the duo strangely… endearing.

 

In fact, once he noticed they always took the same seats, in the same carriage, at the same time, everyday, Midorima made sure to himself always get into the same compartment, on the same train everyday. He would also try his best to take a seat close to them. Sometimes he would get one only a few places away from them, while other times he would not be as lucky and would reluctantly sit a bit further away. If the only seats available were too far to even catch a glance of the siblings, he would choose to stand instead until a seat closer was made available. Occasionally, he would, daringly, even take a seat right next to the two. He would then try his best to discreetly observe them. He really hoped the older brother hadn’t noticed.

 

The two were not together everyday though. He very quickly realized that the black-haired duo would be complete on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays while only the older brother showed up on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But, whether it was the two of them, or only the black-haired middle part boy, he had come to find observing them to be incredibly soothing after his long day.

 

He was not entirely sure what it was about the siblings that had him so captivated. Maybe it was how watching the older of the two do his best to enthusiastically entertain the younger one reminded him of how much he cared for and fussed over his own little sister who looked to be around the same age as the as the little girl. Half way through the train journey, the younger one’s eyes would slowly start drooping. Whenever, the older noticed her sleepy face he would smile and ask her if she wanted to take a nap. Midorima had grown incredibly fond of the gentle expression the brother wore while smoothing out his sister’s hair as she fell asleep on his lap.

 

From a conversation he once overheard between the siblings – he really wasn’t trying to eavesdrop on them, but they talked rather loudly and he couldn’t help but tune in – the younger one took swimming lessons just a block away from her brother’s high-school. Since, the swim club there had exceptional facilities and a really good swimming coach, and his sister seemed to be so enthralled by the sport, the brother had suggested that their parents enroll her there for lessons. He himself stayed back late after school anyways, so he could easily bring her back home if they would drop her at the swim club.

 

Maybe it was the bright smiles and gleaming eyes always present on both of the siblings faces that had him so enamoured. Even on days when the older brother was travelling on his own, he still had on the bright smile and sparkling eyes. Whether he was mouthing the lyrics of a song he was listening to on his headphones as he drummed its rhythm out on his knees, or rapidly texting someone, or simply staring out the window, a smile, while sometimes lively and sometimes serene, seemed to always be present on his face.

 

Maybe it was how much the teenager seemed to love basketball. Midorima was pleasantly surprised to discover – from another conversation between the siblings he accidentally overheard – that this boy also made sure to get in a few hours of extra basketball practice everyday after his regular training.

 

Whatever it was, Midorima soon found that observing the siblings or even just the older one at the end of the day had become an important part of his daily routine. If neither showed up for a few days, for some unexplainable reason, he found himself in a rather sour mood for the rest of the evening and a good part of the next day. When they didn’t show up for several days in a row, it wasn’t that he got worried or anything, but he couldn’t help feeling upset that they were disrupting his routine for so long. Luckily though, they rarely were absent from their usual places on their usual train.

 

 

 

 

 

One day, as Midorima took a seat to the right of older brother, he noticed the boy’s smile seemed to lack its usual energy. As he looked closer, he noticed huge bags under his eyes. The black-haired teen had a dazed sort of look to him and seemed to have trouble keeping his eyes open. Despite that, he did his best to animatedly talk to his younger sibling who seemed just as full of energy as usual.

 

“So, how was today’s class?” the older brother asked his sibling.

 

“It was great! Coach said I am starting to get the hang of the butterfly stroke! You know? The butterfly stroke is supposed to be the most difficult!” the small girl excitedly started telling her brother.

 

“Really? That’s great! I knew Manami could do it! You-“

 

“Oh, that’s right!” the younger one interrupted. “I almost forgot to tell you! A competition is coming up in two months and this time the coach said I could participate as well! Brother’s basketball tournament will also have ended by then right? So, well… would you come and cheer for me?”

 

“Of course I will! How could I miss my precious little sister’s first competition? Nothing can stop me from going!” the older brother replied, kissing his sister on her forehead. “I’ll make sure to cheer the loudest out of everyone there!”

           

Mdorima almost started to feel a small tiny little smile emerge on his face, but pushed up his glasses instead and quickly recomposed himself.

 

The black-haired teen did his best to continue keeping up with his younger sibling’s energy, but eventually he could barely do so and instead asked his sister if she wanted to start her nap a little earlier than usual. Seeing how tired her brother looked she accepted and quickly settled her head on his knees. The older had a tired, but grateful smile on as he started stroking her hair. A few minutes later, he started nodding off too. He had taken light naps before as his sibling slept on the train, but usually this simply consisted of his head bobbing forward a few times before jolting awake and then repeating the process.

 

However, this time, he fell sound asleep and a few minutes later fell right onto Midorima’s shoulder.

 

With a surprised squawk, Midorima tried to push him straight back up, but he simply landed right back on the green-haired teen’s shoulder after a few seconds. When, he tried to shake the sleeping boy awake, the latter, instead, burrowed his head even deeper into the shoulder. Eventually, Midorima gave up with a huff and just decided to let the black-haired boy be. He sat rigidly up for the rest of the trip.

 

As the sleeping siblings stop started approaching, the green-haired teenager, once again, started panicking and, in vain, tried his best to shake the older brother awake. However, just as the train was arriving, at the station right before the one the siblings usually got down on, the sleeping teen suddenly woke up and sat straight up. He seemed disoriented for a few seconds, but then quickly looked out the window and sighed in relief seeing that he had not missed his stop.

 

Midorima awkwardly cleared his throat trying to draw the boy’s attention. Turning to the green head, the black haired youth finally realized what had happened. Eyes widening, he started profusely apologizing: “Oh my gosh! I fell asleep on your shoulder, didn’t I? I’m so sorry! You should have just woken me up! I’m really sorry!” he exclaimed as he clapped his hands together over his head.

 

“I tried to wake you up, but it was impossible!” Midorima huffed with a frown turning his head to the side. “I-it’s fine! Just don’t do it again!” he grumpily conceded after a few seconds, still not looking at the boy, straightening his glasses instead.

 

“Oh, my stop will soon arrive! I’m so sorry! Mana, Manami, wake up! We’ve reached!” He soon managed to shake the small girl awake and took her hand in his own as she stood up rubbing her eyes groggily.

 

“Once again, I’m so sorry! But, thank you!” he said as he hurried towards the door after picking up the little girl’s school bag, his own school bag and his sports bag all with his one free hand. As the train arrived at the station, he dropped his sister’s hand to turn towards Midorima to give a quick wave before grabbing hold of her hand again and stepping out the train.

* * *

 

 

The next day, as it is a Tuesday, the black-haired teen was the only one of the duo on the train. Noticing Midorima as he climbs onto the train, he tiredly smiled at him and gives a small wave. The green-haired teen gives a small nod in return, in greeting, and takes a seat right next to him again. Discreetly glancing to his side, Midorima notes that the older brother looks even more exhausted than the day before. He didn’t even think that was possible! But, the black bags under his eyes have darkened and the boy barely seems to have enough energy to even keep up his usual smile.

 

Midorima can’t help, but feel a tiny little bit bad for the other.

 

As he keeps stealing glances, he notices the black-haired youth start to nod off. He seems to be doing his best to try and stay awake, jolting up every few seconds. However, soon, he can no longer fight off his exhaustion and falls fast asleep. Landing, once again, on his green-haired neighbour’s shoulder.

 

Midorima does his best to push the sleeping teen’s head off his shoulder. But, when the black-haired boy starts falling towards the other side where a grumpy middle-aged man is sitting, he quickly pulls him back onto his shoulder. He then tries to lightly shake him awake. The other slowly raises his head and seems to finally be opening his eyes. But instead of waking up, he mumbles something and wraps one arm around Midorima’s neck and lands back against his shoulder, making himself more comfortable. The green-haired boy stiffens for a few moments, before trying to squirm out of the other’s hold. However, after a few fruitless attempts at this, he gives up with a sigh and hesitantly relaxes against his seat.

 

An old lady who had been sitting opposite him giggles at the whole scene. At the sound, Midorima, blushing, turns his head to the side and straightens his glasses.

 

Once the sleeping youth’s stop starts approaching, Midorima resumes his attempts to try and wake him up to no avail. However, like on the previous day, just before the train arrives at the stop before the one he usually gets down on, the black-haired boy suddenly wakes up on his own. He sits up yawning and rubbing his eyes still slightly dazed for a few moments, before quickly looking out of the window and sighing in relief. But, as soon he is fully awake his eyes widen as he realizes the position in which he had been sleeping. Snapping his head to Midorima who is frowning deeply, he quickly starts apologizing even more frantically than the day before.

 

The green-haired teen has a lot more to say about the situation this time, but as they are arriving at the next stop, the other rushes to collect his belongings and quickly heads out the door. As he spent much more time apologizing this time, Midorima did not get to say much which leaves him in quite a grumpy mood.

* * *

 

 

On the third day, when Midorima gets onto the train, the black-haired boy, noticing him, once again smiles and tiredly waves at him from beside his little sister. But, this time the green-haired boy frowns back at him and with a huff, takes a seat opposite the duo despite the free seats on either side of them. Dropping his hand, the older of the siblings sheepishly smiles as he mouths “sorry” to Midorima. In return, the other teen grumpily turns his head to the side. Soon after though, the little girl draws her older brother’s attention away.

 

Another passenger soon sits beside the brother.

 

As the green-haired teen starts once again cautiously glancing at the pair, he notices that although the brother looks slightly better off than the previous day, he still looks completely exhausted. But, like on the first day, he does his best to continue to animatedly talk to his sister. The younger sibling as well, soon notices the older one’s fatigue, and on her own asks if she can take her nap a little earlier. With a tired but thankful smile, the brother quickly lifts his arms so that she can lay down in his lap before placing them back down on top of her.

 

As he runs his hand through her hair, he soon starts dozing off again before finally drifting deep into sleep. When he inevitably falls, once again, on his neighbour’s shoulder, he is quickly and roughly shoved right back up. When he falls back, once again, after a few seconds, with a frown, the other passenger tries to shake him awake. Midorima watches as the passenger soon gives up trying to wake the boy up, instead angrily shoving him away before quickly getting up to move further down the train. With no one to lean against, when the black-haired teen starts to lean to the side again as he sleep, he ends up bent really awkwardly.

 

That can’t be a comfortable position to sleep in. The green-haired teen is sure the youth will wake up with an aching back and neck and not feeling the least bit rested. Not that it is any of his business… Midorima frowns as he watches the boy hit his head against the back of the seat next to him and still not wake up. Just before he can bang his head again, the frowning teen quickly stands up and catches his head. With an annoyed sigh, he finally takes the seat beside the black-haired boy before gently propping him up against his shoulder.

 

When the sleeping boy wakes up a little before they arrive at the station right before his own, as on the two previous days, and regains his bearings he squeezes his eyes shut and bows his head to the other as he once again opens his mouth to start profusely apologizing:

 

“I’m so sorry! I-” interrupting himself, the boy suddenly sits straight up again and opens his eyes. “Wait a sec!” he says as he narrows his eyes slightly at the other. “Weren’t you sitting on the other side? You… It can’t be!” Eyes widening, he continues: “Did you purposely move next me, to give me a shoulder to sleep on?”

 

“Wh-What? Of course not! It wasn’t for you!” Midorima says as he starts panicking. At the green-haired teen’s flustered appearance, a grin slowly starts spreading across the other’s face.

 

“Oh?” he questions, now fully grinning.

 

“Yes! I mean no! I-I mean it was only because you looked like you might fall out of your seat. Then your little sister would have fallen down too. I didn’t want her to get hurt! It wasn’t because of you at all! I couldn’t have cared less what happened to you, but it wouldn’t be right of me to allow a small child to get hurt when I am perfectly capable of preventing it.” he responds as he straightens his glasses.

 

“And that was so irresponsible of you by the way! To fall asleep while watching over your younger sister! You should learn how to take better care of yourself if you are taking care of someone else. Make sure to get some more sleep! You have been practically falling asleep on your feet since the start of the week!” Midorima continues as the black-haired boy now watches him wearing that stupidly large grin of his.

 

However, the teen has to eventually cut off Midorima’s rant as his station will shortly be arriving. Shaking his sister awake and picking up his belongings he is soon standing by the door. Turning around he waves as he calls out: “Thank you, for lending me your shoulder!”

 

Just then, the train comes to a stop and the two siblings quickly step out. Midorima is left blushing and frowning as he once again straightens his glasses.

* * *

 

On the fourth day, as Midorima steps onto the train, the black-haired teen, once again alone, waves widely at him with a bright smile. The green-haired teen makes a show of pointedly turning his head away from him, as he takes a seat on the opposite side, three seats down despite the empty seat beside the other. From the corner of his eyes, he sees the black-haired boy simply shrug as he puts his headphones back in his ears. He also notes that the teen looks significantly better rested. While the bags under his eyes are still present, and there is still a certain tired look to his regular smile, he doesn’t look like he will start snoring at any minute even if he is standing.

 

Still, forty minutes into the journey, Midorima watches the other slowly start to nod off and eventually start slumping onto the, this time, empty seat next to him at an awkward angle.

 

The teen watches the other’s uncomfortable looking sleeping position growing increasingly irritated. Finally, with a huff, he walks across to the empty seat, lifts the other teen’s head, before sitting down with a frown and placing his school bag on the seat next to him. He then tries to gently shake the other awake, but, as usual, the other’s eyes remain shut.

 

Thus, he proceeds to gently place the other’s head against his shoulder and tries to make him as a comfortable as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

Unbeknownst to Midorima, the black-haired teen on his shoulder was not quite as deeply asleep as he believed. It was true that he was still exhausted, and he had truly been dozing off earlier. But, better rested this time and determined to find out whether the other had really only been worried about his sister getting injured, he did his best to remain alert.

 

Slumping sideways onto the neighbouring seat was quite uncomfortable and he hoped he wouldn’t have to do it for long. Just when he thought he could no longer maintain the awkward position, he felt someone lift his head and sit down on the seat next to him.

 

It was hard to resist smiling when the other gave up trying to wake him up after only gently shaking his shoulders a few times. And it was even harder when the other fussed over him, trying to place him comfortably against his shoulder.

 

A few minutes after he felt the other still, he opened one eye to discreetly peek at the boy against who he was leaning. The green-haired teen seemed to have hesitantly relaxed against the back of his seat and was obstinately looking the other side. Closing his eye again, the supposedly sleeping teen snuggled further into the other’s shoulder. He felt his neighbour's head rest stiffen at the movement, before, after a few moments, relaxing against the seat back rest once again.

 

The black-haired boy finally gave in to his need to smile as he fell asleep for real this time.

 

 

 

 

 

As usual, just before they arrive at the station one stop before his own, Midorima feels the black-haired teenager stir. However, this time as he wakes up with a yawn, he looks neither disoriented nor frantic even as his mind clears up from sleep. Instead, he calmly looks over to the window smiling lightly when he sees that he has woken up on time. He then turns towards Midorima with a cheeky smile.

 

“Weren’t you sitting some seats away?” he asks with a twinkle in his eyes.

 

Midorima flushes and adjusts his glasses before clumsily starting to sputter out a response. “It-It was only because there were two empty seats next to you! I wanted to put my bag down on one since it is quite heavy today and my knees were starting to hurt. I couldn’t keep it on the seat next to you either, because your heavy head might have fallen onto my bag and crushed my lucky item of the day. It’s not because I wanted you to sleep more comfortably or anything! If you woke up with an aching neck it would have been entirely your own fault! You-”

 

“What’s your name?” the black-haired boy asks, interrupting the other’s excuses.

 

After a few moment of stunned silence, the green-haired teen frowns and mutters something to himself before quietly answering: “Midorima Shintarou.”

 

“Nice to meet you! My name is Takao! Takao Kazunari.” the black-haired boy says in return grinning widely.

 

“Oh! My stop is almost here! I have to get going!” the boy, he now knows to be Takao, rushes to pick up his things and head to the door. Just as the train stops, the black-haired teen turns to the other with a mischievous look in his eyes and a cunning smile on his lips.

 

“Thank you, for lending me your shoulder! See you tomorrow, Shin-chan~” he calls out as the doors opens, before quickly jumping onto the platform.

 

“Wha-?” Midorima squawks indignantly after he gets over his shock at the other’s audacity. But, the door has already closed by then. He quickly turns to the window with an angry glare quickly scanning the crowd on the platform before his eyes land on their target.

 

He scowls some more as Takao, who is wearing an obnoxiously huge grin, waves widely at him with both hands.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I came up with this story while trying to answer this ask on tumblr, and I am happy to make it my debut work~ I'm not too happy with the title, but I couldn't wait to post it!


End file.
